MoH official leaked sensitive info for sex with foreigners, money

Mtoday news

New Delhi, Nov 23: The top Home Ministry official under scanner for leaking sensitive telecom related information to a private company had reportedly asked for sex from foreign girls and loads of money in return for his favours.

The Delhi police arrested a Kolkata based-business man on Tuesday who was the middleman between Ravi Inder Singh and the private company. Vineet owns a food processing company and was picked up from a five star hotel last evening and subsequently arrested.

 

The businessman has been trying to make "deal" with a telecom company on behalf of Singh for providing security related information from the ministry in return of a few crore rupees, a home ministry official said.

The company’s application related to security clearance in connection with Mobile Number Portability was pending with the ministry.

Telephone excerpts between the two show how Singh used to ladle out information in return for sex and money. Both used code words.

“Is Ukranian software available?”, went one question of Singh to Vineet, He used ‘software’ and ‘hardware’ as code words for women and rooms respectively.

Not only that Singh demanded Laddus and Prasad – meaning money in lieu of secretive information which would have helped the company get licenses.

Though Singh was not in a position to give security clearance to any company, he could have facilitated such clearance by giving favourable inputs to higher officials.


Singh, a 1994 batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, who was working as Director in the sensitive Internal Security division, was under surveillance of the Special Cell and was detained yesterday evening following which searches were carried out at his office and residence.

He was questioned today as well and the report has been sent to the Home Ministry.

 
Sources said that Singh’s case has no connection with the recent conversations between the Ministry and the makers of Blackberry.

Home Ministry officials said Singh was using five mobile phones -- some of which were found in possession of the arrested businessman - while making conversation. He was also using coded words like ’prasad’ and ’laddu’ for describing money.

The Internal Security Division of the Home Ministry, where Singh was working, is considered to be the most sensitive wing and handles all crucial issues related to the country’s security.

Secretary, internal security, UK Bansal, expressed concern over over the "involvement of such a high ranking officer".

"It is a matter of concern. We cannot tolerate corruption and the message is clear. Delhi Police will submit their report by (Tuesday) evening to the ministry of home affairs," Bansal said.